In the oral tradition take 2

THE WORST PRINCESS by Anna Kemp and Sara Ogilvie. Random House, 2014.

No fancy clothes, no
Boring sessions at court, no
Need for Prince Charming.

Myths Retold

DO NOT OPEN! THE STORY OF PANDORA'S BOX by Joan Holub. Illustrated by Dani Jones. Simon Spotlight, 2014.

Pandora cannot
Resist opening the box.
Sad consequences.

THE ONE EYED PEOPLE EATER: THE STORY OF CYCLOPS by Joan Holub. Illustrated by Dani Jones. Simon Spotlight, 2014.

Odysseus and
His men are trapped by Cyclops
But they outwit him.

One Shirt Perseus?

Full Cast Audio brings to life Geraldine McCaughrean's retelling of the myths of PERSEUS (Full Cast Audio 2011). Perseus, son of Zeus and a mortal woman, undertakes the beheading of Medusa, one of the Gorgons. Later, he slays a sea monster to rescue a beautiful young woman before returning home to glory. McCaughrean language begs to be read aloud, or in this case, listened to. Full Cast Audio's production underscores the humor as well as the adventure of the story with narrator Cynthia Bishop and a full cast giving voice to the other players in this retelling of the myth. Offer this audiobook along with others that feature McCaughrean's retellings such as Odysseus and Cyrano, both from Full Cast Audio. <661>

Stickman and his Quest

As soon as I saw the cover for STICKMAN ODYSSEY, BOOK ONE, AN EPIC DOODLE by Christopher Ford (Philomel 2011), I knew it was going into my TBR stack and pretty near the top at that. Having suffered through (erm, enjoyed) The Odyssey and watched as the three granddaughters did the same, I was curious to see how this book might play out. One word: HILARIOUSLY! Of course, it did help to have some background knowledge to get all of the inside jokes and references, but I can see this book perhaps serving as a gateway in the opposite direction: as a prelude to further study of Gerek myths and epics. Zozimos battles golems and other creatures that intend him harm as he struggles to find his way back home again. He is aided by a hermit who believes he is hideous and two women he meets in his journeys. I think this could be the beginning of a beautiful ladder that includes George O'Connor's HERA (in which Heracles figures prominently) and, at the other end, Garth Hinds' graphic novel version of The Odyssey (Candlewick 2010). <407>